Boys fail to recover from cold start

Saturday 23^rd November

vs TMS 1-5

Team: Ciarán; Josh, Tom, Ben, Elliot H; Ollie, Caleb, Louis, Elliot R; Jacob, Joe. Subs: Adam, Cormac.

A frosty pitch, and an equally cold start from the boys as they went a goal down within 25 seconds of the start – the left winger too hot for Josh and Tom to fire TMS into the earliest of leads.

They could have levelled the scores almost as quickly, after Jacob’s through pass opened up the heart of the TMS defence, only for the hard ground to take Joe’s shot well wide of the target. They were pushing TMS backwards but their opponents always had their left wing as an escape, especially when hesitation gave them the advantage.

Ciarán came to the rescue with a low block at the near post in the 5^th minute but, having first gone out to cover the short corner, the boys retreated and allowed the touch which set up a glancing header for TMS to double the lead.

Louis’ ball pushed Joe deep on the left as they tried to make something in the final third but the habit of letting their opponents make the first decision continued to leave them vulnerable, despite a solid display from Elliot H in an unfamiliar left back role.

Josh came to Ciarán’s rescue after the forward beat the advancing keeper to the ball on the edge of the box but a mix up in an identical spot on 13 minutes saw TMS extend their lead, as the forward was the only one to react to the ball coming back off the post.

In a first half that contradicted last Saturday’s display – they were conceding goals but never looked out of the match – they were linking up and finding space without really troubling the keeper. Caleb slipped Joe down the right channel after Josh had cleaned up at the back and, in the 16^th minute, the TMS keeper had to go full length to make the save as Joe shot across him from the left.

Ciarán was much quicker off his line in the 17^th minute to save his defence’s blushes as TMS continued to react quicker to the loose ball. Jacob was buzzing around, combining with Elliot H to break out on the left and then working with Joe to force a corner deep on the right. Louis followed suit as they attacked again, with Elliot R shooting wide in the 28^th minute.

Ben had Tom had began to show some more central defensive solidity as the half wore on but it took a brilliant one handed save from Ciarán, the header going back across him, to prevent TMS scoring a fourth goal in the 29^th minute. They were finishing the half putting more pressure on the ball when not in possession and making better use of it when they had it. Louis again drove them forward, combining with Jacob and Joe across the edge of the box, only for a deflection to take all the power out of Jacob’s shot.

Adam replaced Elliot R at the turnaround but, in almost a carbon copy of the first half, the fourth TMS goal 90 seconds in left the boys with a mountain to climb. They had raced through the middle and looked as if Ben had stopped the break, only for the ball to bounce kindly for the forward to slot home.

They were looking more effective with Adam raiding on the left, even if it left Elliot H with more to do behind. Adam’s run resulted in a corner in the 38^th minute which was swung in by Louis. The TMS defence failed to deal with it properly and Joe took full advantage to put away his 15^th this season.

Ollie gave way to Cormac after 49 minutes and despite Louis adventure going forward and Adam and Jacob’s greater purpose, the game was quietly meandering to an end. Caleb and Cormac cleared a corner and the captain’s ball saw Joe go just too quick behind the defence in the 53^rd minute only for Ciarán to go full stretch after the leaky right was caught out again.

From the resultant corner, the seven blue and white striped bodies in the box were beaten to the loose ball and conceded a fifth goal. TMS threatened with a more direct ball after 58 minutes but Ciarán was out to save and then clung on to a swerving shot four minutes before the break.

Louis continued to look for chances right up to the final whistle and broke out of defence with Ollie – on for the last five minutes as Caleb’s thigh tightened – only for the well organised TMS to thwart them again, this time Jacob being caught offside.

The boys were, to some extent, masters of their own downfall as they allowed themselves to be out-hustled by hungrier opposition. The lapses in concentration that gifted TMS opportunities brought the good passages of play into reality and although they were more effective in the second half, the passing game slowly broke down. Louis had a tireless stint in midfield and was rewarded with the Man of the Match medal.